<p>So the reasons that I want to take physics over the summer:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I have already taken AP Physics C, and got credit for mechanics and E&M. I skipped mechanics my freshman year and took E&M and got an A. The reason I did this was because I thought I was going to be a physics major, so I would complete the one year of physics pre-req with higher level courses. But this didn't work out. So I emailed top medical schools and they said that my AP score doesn't count towards the year requirement, so I have to go back and take mechanics. I figure it would be more worthwhile to take new classes during the school year than to take a class I have basically already taken and done well in (I did get a 5 on the AP test).</p></li>
<li><p>The best time for me to take it during the school year would be fall of junior year. However, this is also the only time I am able to study abroad, and I have already begun applying for a study abroad program.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Even with this reasoning, would it still be a bad idea for me to take physics over the summer?</p>
<p>And actually, I just discovered that I can’t take physics spring of my sophomore or junior year because pre-med physics is not offered in the spring (and I really, really do not want to take another engineering physics class because I took engineering E&M and I think that a class targeted at pre-meds would be much more relevant). So my only options are to take it this summer, or to take it fall of my senior year, which I think would be an even worse idea than taking it during the summer.</p>
<p>@Torchwood, I don’t understand your reason 1 above. Since you already had credit for M and E/M, why didn’t you just take Optics/Modern Physics? This is the 3rd semester of the three semester physics sequence that is offered at most universities. You would have been finished. </p>
<p>Here is a pdf that you can download and use as a reference for AP credit and medical schools. As you can see, AP Physics is accepted almost everywhere. (even at “top medical schools”)</p>
<p>Hello,
Unfortunately, modern physics does not have a lab to accompany it at my school, and every medical school I emailed specifically said I must complete a year of physics with lab.</p>
<p>I have generally heard that most medical schools accept AP credit, but the responses of the schools I emailed contradicted that. Would it be better to take it again just to be safe?</p>
<p>Sure thing. Most of the schools said that if I took AP credit for mechanics, I would need to take modern, like you suggested. However, I did verify with the mother of another student who goes to my school, whose daughter was in the same situation, that since our modern does not have a lab with it, it won’t count. Her daughter had to go back and take mechanics as well.</p>
<p>Looking through my email, I see:
Columbia University
Johns Hopkins
Yale University
Stanford University
Northwestern University
University of Chicago
It’s possible that I’m missing a few, seeing as I have 3,896 emails in my inbox at the moment haha.</p>
<p>UMich and the University of Washington were the only two that said the AP credit would be accepted. So sorry, I guess I lied about all of them saying I had to take another semester. So I guess I would still be able to get into medical school, but I figure it wouldn’t be a very good idea to limit myself when it’s already so difficult to get into medical school.</p>
<p>Just as a side note, I have asked my school’s pre-med advisor about this, and he said it is totally fine to take pre-med pre-reqs over the summer. However, I don’t really trust him, as he has been known to give out not-so-great advice.</p>
<p>By the way, that pdf is very helpful, thank you. It looks like very few schools don’t accept AP credit for physics…but I don’t get why all of their e-mails seemed to imply that they wouldn’t accept AP credit? Maybe they misunderstood my situation, or maybe I misunderstood their answers? For example, the PDF says Northwestern accepts AP credit. However, in their email, they said,
“AP credit is acceptable. Science AP courses for which an applicant has received course credit at his or her undergraduate degree-granting institution will be considered as fulfilling the pre-med science course requirements. Applicants should keep in mind, however, that the Committee will expect to see advanced level undergraduate courses in the science disciplines for which the AP credit was awarded. Your university’s pre-med advisor should be able to assist you in selecting the coursework that will best prepare you for medical school, and in determining what coursework will fulfill our requirements.”</p>
<p>The only upper level class I could take would be modern physics, which honestly, I don’t want to take because I really do not enjoy physics, and I think there are other more relevant classes I could be taking, such as upper level biology classes?</p>
<p>the year of physics with lab is a pretty standard requirement. Not sure why you are questioning it.</p>
<p>Torchwood,</p>
<p>Do you have credit on your college transcript for the physics/lab course you skipped? When you asked schools, did you tell then your school had given you credit for the class + lab? Most schools don’t accept AP scores, but they do accept credits handed out by your university for AP course work.</p>
<p>EDIT: cross posted with your 9:13pm post OP</p>
<p>adding that the NW policy is fairly standard. They want kids who like academic challenges so generally they want to see you take upper level courses if you have the intros covered by AP courses but it’s not a requirement.</p>
<p>Physics 121 is the engineering physics at my school. The lab is incorporated into the class (like there is no separate grade for the lab, your lab grade is averaged into your class grade), so I think that must mean I got credit for the lab, correct? Even when it lists that I took Physics 122 (E&M) during spring of my freshman year, it doesn’t mention a lab.</p>
<p>You should talk to your pre-med advisor but from over here it looks like you have course credit for 121 and that with 121 and 122 you have fulfilled the requirement of 1 year with lab.</p>
<p>Yeah it seems like it… It just makes me nervous. But it would be really nice to not have to take physics over the summer, that would save me $3000 and four weeks of my life that I could be volunteering and doing research.
I will talk to my advisor and the pre-med advisor as soon as I get back from winter break.</p>
<p>Why don’t you ask the Med. School adcoms that you are eventually planning to apply. My D. had exactly the same type of questions in regard to credits for Math and English and whe received very fast and precise ansers from each Med. School that she ahs asked. It would take musch shorter time, no going thru various beakering and arguments like here.</p>
<p>Yeah I think I will probably end up doing that. I might try and visit my undergrad school’s med school, since that’s one of my top choices and I’ve heard it’s a good idea to introduce yourself to the deans anyways (or at least that’s what the kid I met on my plane ride home said haha).</p>
<p>You do not have to go in, unless you want to. Email was sufficient for my D. They responded very quick also. D’s UG university did not even have a Med. School.</p>
<p>Yes, your summers should be used to enhance and expand your education, not sitting in classes.</p>
<p>@iwbB,
</p>
<p>If you had read the entire thread, you would have understood the context of my comment.</p>
<p>@Torchwood, the quote you posted from Northwestern is consistent with my suggestion that you should have just taken Modern Physics. Of the three parts of the sequence, it was by far the most interesting. Does your school offer a biophysics class? Do you enjoy chemistry? If so you can take Physical Chemistry. Most schools see classes such as these as replacing upper division physics or math. (e.g. the HST program at Harvard)</p>
<p>BTW, in regard to Feinberg and Physics, D. was accepted there. She had whatever other pre-meds were taking (non-calc based), not very challenging. It was enough and it was enough for her in Med. School - one needs Physics for Heart and Lungs studies. Physics was never her “thing”, she is “Gen. Chem.” person.<br>
Summers should be used foremost for relaxing and spending time with your friends. These UG summers are precious, they will never repeat, ever in your entire life, you will be sorry for using them in any other way…they will be gone and you will never get this precious time back</p>